I don't own anything so yeah...enjoy :)

The Joker continued wreaking havoc across Republic City. The police had nearly given up at catching the psychotic crook. "What are we doing? Why aren't we going after this man?" a young waterbending officer asked her superior officer one day.

"Calm down rookie. We're doing everything we can at the moment. Not even the Avatar has taken this guy down yet. We need to be patient," the officer told her.

Korra shrugged and walked away frustrated. Sometimes she felt like the only one on the force with any real sense. At least, she seemed to be the only one that actually cared about the well-being of others.

True, she'd only been on the police force for the past six months, but shouldn't her opinion have some sort of say? She was a hot headed waterbender who had no tolerance for patience. Her parents had emigrated from the Southern Water Tribe to live in Republic City years ago. However, her father had been unable to find a stable job. He turned to gambling and piled up a massive gambling debt. One of the Triads he owed money to shot him. A few months later her mother had been killed in a mysterious car accident that many agreed was conducted by the Triad. Korra had been sent to grow up in Republic City's Home for Children. She had nearly grown up on the streets of Republic City. For once, it had led her to join the police rather than the Triads.

She had a cocky way about her, but she was always about helping others. Her dark hair was tied into a pony tail with two pony tails meeting to frame her face. Her eyes were a bright blue color. She was a very talented waterbender, learning how to fight in the streets until joining the police academy to define her waterbending skills.

Hope was one thing she would never give up, especially her hope in the Avatar.

"Hey!" a man yelled from the other side of the police complex, "special report! Turn the television on to Republic City News!"

They followed his instructions to see that the Joker had sent yet another video to Republic City's most notable news network.

They heard the Joker's maniacal laugh from behind the camera. "It's been five days. The Avatar still hasn't given himself up. I'll tell you what. If the Avatar hasn't revealed his real identity by the end of the day, the mayor is next on my hit list. Believe me, I will remember," the Joker said before the tape cut out to reveal the shaken news reporter.

Suddenly the police station kicked into action. Toph Beifong appeared ordering the men, "I want half of you on the mayors every move, protecting him constantly. I want the other half patrolling the streets reporting any trouble and searching for that man."

"Officer Beifong!" Korra called after Toph as she began climbing the stairs to the roof, "are you going to meet with him?"

Toph looked around. "Shouldn't you be uh…"

Frustrated, Korra walked away to find her polar bear dog. She had to go talk to someone, someone she knew could she could get through to.

.

"I saw it Appa," Aang said when Appa took the elevator into the ruins. Aang had a disgusted look on his face, but for once he was completely cleaned up.

"Going anywhere sir?" Appa asked curiously, even though he knew the answer.

"The people are becoming restless, asking for the Avatar's head. I can't let these killings continue. The Avatar has become a symbol for destruction rather than justice. I'm going to the District Attorney's meeting today in town. I have to fess up and reveal myself."

Appa shook his head. "You must endure this hate sir; endure it for the greater good of mankind."

"People are dying Appa, what would you have me do?"

The two took the elevator up to the main part of the house through the trap doors of the library. Just as Aang was preparing to leave, the door rang.

"Hi," Korra said out of breath at the door to Appa, "I need to speak with Mr. Gyatso."

"I'm afraid he was just on his way out. You'll have to make an appointment."

"Please, I really need to speak with him."

"How can I help you?" Aang appeared from within the manor.

Korra and Aang sat in the parlor. Impatiently, Korra told him, "Don't give yourself away."

"What?" Aang asked, acting confused.

"I-I know what you are. Look, I can tell. At the orphanage we used to tell stories about you, the orphan who despite everything had it all. Then, one day I saw everything. I saw that same look on your face that we all have, that mask to hide the anger and the guilt. We all wonder what could we have done to make everything different?" Korra explained.

"Why have you come here?"

"I wanted to tell you that you can't let the Joker win. You can't reveal yourself. Don't give into his demands. You still represent hope to so many, including me."

"I'm sorry, I have to go," Aang told her before he got up to leave, "Appa can show you out."

.

The press conference was crowded with concerned Republic City citizens and reporters.

Zuko stood before the crowd. "People of Republic City, we need to stay calm and united during these times of crisis's. We must not give in to the demands of terrorists."

Aang stood at the back of the crowd, ready to announce his true identity at any minute. Only a few people applauded what Zuko was saying. Most of the people looked dismayed. "No more citizen deaths!" one person shouted. "No more dead cops!" came the cries of another.

Aang took a deep breath ready to step forward.

"Fine," Zuko said, "the Avatar will be revealed and he will face his crimes…It's me. I am the Avatar."

The gasps rippled across the room. Their own District Attorney was the Avatar? Their own hero, who had put so many of the Triad groups behind bars in the court rooms was the vigilante breaking his own laws to deliver justice?

The officers began to cuff Zuko as cameras flashed. "You either die a hero, or you live long enough to be the villain," Zuko said as reporters asked for a comment.

As he was escorted into the basement of the police complex Katara caught up with him. "Zuko," she said flushed, "what are you thinking? You aren't him. You're not…"

"Katara," Zuko interrupted her patiently, "sometimes you have to be what you're not for the greater cause."

Police officers around Zuko began to applaud the District Attorney's bravery. Finally, he was receiving the respect he had deserved after all these years.

Republic City wept quietly. People were shocked at seeing their hero as a criminal. Were they right in asking for him to unmask himself? Would they regret it? Who would protect them against the Joker now? A dark cloud loomed over Republic City, preparing it for darker days.

.

"Appa," Katara said as she entered through the side door of the Gyatso Manor into the high tech kitchen. "Why did he let Zuko take the fall for him?"

She was angry. She was angry with Aang for being a coward and letting Zuko take the fall for him. She was angry at Zuko for needed to be a hero to Republic City. She was angry with the citizens of Republic City for calling for the Avatar's head. Most of all, she was angry at herself. She had allowed her past to get the best of her. However, this realization was a relief. She finally realized that she loved Zuko and that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. There would be no way she could ever be with Aang.

"He went down to the press conference," Appa said.

"And he just stood by…like a….like a…"

"I know, miss."

"Can you give him something," she asked the elderly butler as she reached into her purse to withdraw a loose scroll, "when the time is right?"

"Of course," Appa told her solemnly feeling as though this was meant to be a goodbye.

Katara smiled at Appa sadly. "I'll miss you Appa. Take good care of Aang."

.

Korra was among the officers escorting Zuko from his holding cell into the heavily guarded police van. They were to escort Zuko to a highly protective holding cell to await his trial in court.

"All clear!" Korra called out as they began escorting Zuko into the van.

Korra eyed the man with confusion. Why would he take the Avatars place? Perhaps he too understood the importance of the Avatar in Republic City and the hope the Avatar brought to the people. Without the Avatar the city was as good as gone to the Joker and the other criminals that once ran this city.

Zuko seemed so humbled at the moment. The officers hadn't even felt honorable tying him up. They knew he wouldn't firebend or hurt them. Tying him up would just feel like another act of betrayal toward him.

The van continued on the road toward the court house with the highly protective holding cell. It was led by two satomobiles and followed by a third satomobile.

"Obstruction!" a voice radioed into the walkie, "We need to take the tunnel route."

Korra couldn't see out from the back of the van but ahead of the satomobiles was a massive pile up of satomobiles lit aflame. They had no choice but to head into the tunnel of Republic City.

As they continued down into the tunnel a peculiar large truck drove up right among them. A few of the other vans were shot down.

"Whoa," Korra yelled as she felt the blasts aimed towards the other satomobiles. She climbed through the front to join the driver. "What's going on?"

Before the driver could answer she saw the Joker and a band of his henchmen on the truck next to their van. They were firing away. They wanted the Avatar. "Slam on the brakes," Korra instructed.

"I have. There's something behind us pushing us forward."

The lights in the tunnel turned off creating a dark scene. What was the Joker doing, Korra wondered. Then a mechanical bison shot past them. It was in compact mode allowing it a speedy flight.

"Just keep going forward, I'll see what I can do," Korra said.

She pulled out a fresh pouch of water. As a rocket headed toward their van, she waterbent the rocket in midair, making a loud explosion in the tunnel.

Another rocket was sent but before Korra could waterbend it away the bison blocked it from harming the van. Korra watched the bison fall against the far wall as the van zipped past.

"Thank you, Avatar," she said quietly before instructing the driver, "Take this next ramp up onto the main road."

"Who are you to be giving orders, Rookie?" the driver asked but followed anyway.

The Joker's truck continued to follow the van. Where was the Avatar? Korra wondered nervously. That blast couldn't have taken him out.

As though answering her question the Avatar appeared flying through the sky on his glider.

.

The Joker climbed to the front of the truck. "Can I drive please?" he asked the driver but took command anyway as he opened the door to kick the driver out.

"Well, I'll be, looks like we've found the right one boys," he said as the Avatar flew toward the truck on his glider.

Aang flew under the truck while airbending particular pressure points in the truck.

"He missed!" the Joker cried out. Seconds later though, the truck began to wobble as it flipped over.

Miraculously, the Joker and one of his henchmen survived the crash. "That is why we wear seat belts," the Joker laughed. He turned his attention toward the Avatar who was flying at him at an immeasurable speed. "Come on, hit me…I want you to do it…hit me!" the Joker yelled.

Just before he would have hit the Joker, Aang dived and fell across the pavement with his glider, slightly torn up.

The Joker laughed his signature crazy laugh. "You thought," he said standing over the Avatar, "you could defeat me with your crafty use of all four bending skills? Guess you were wrong."

"No, I guess you were wrong," the calm voice of Toph came from behind the Joker. Carefully, she pelted him with pieces of earth in the pressure points the Avatar had instructed him to earlier on the roof. The Joker had lost the use of his body as he swayed to the ground, unable to use his limbs.

Zuko jumped out of the van to see the Joker had fallen. He smiled victoriously. "I knew you would do the right thing," he said to the Avatar before the Avatar fled the scene.

Zuko was offered one phone call before he had to get into a car to go home. "Katara," he said over the phone.

"Zuko? Zuko? Are you alright? Oh spirits, I was so worried about you. Thank the spirits. I-I need to tell you something when we meet up."

.

That night the Joker was placed in a holding cell to await his trial.

Toph Beifong was promoted to Commissioner of the city for her valiant acts to save the city. She returned home to her daughter Lin to celebrate the promotion.

Aang returned to the manor with many questions still unresolved. Appa didn't have the heart to give him the letter at the time. He would wait until the morning.

Zuko never made it home.

Katara disappeared as well, although her disappearance was less noticeable.

The story continues for the next day.

I hope you're enjoying! Thanks for the reviews so far, they mean a lot!